PhosphatesNecessary for plant and animal growth. Nearly all fertilizers contain phosphates. May increase the fish population and improve the waterway’s quality of life. Too much algae and water weeds grow wildly, and this can chokes the waterway and use large amounts of oxygen. This is called Eutrophication.
Evaluation:
From the experiment data results, it can be concluded that there is only a minimal level of nitrate present at the surface edge of the West Lake. Also, it can be concluded that there is a minimal level of phosphate present, therefore it can be verified that the chance of eutrophication occurring is really un-likely. Compared to the data from the website International Lake Environment Committee, the data of the Nitrogen and Phosphorus concentration (1969 – 1990) shows that the level of nitrate present in the water was 0, and the level of phosphate present in the water was a lot more than the data collected today. However, the data from the website are from the center of the lake whereas, the data collected today was from the edge of the lake therefore there is a difference in the levels of the present chemicals.
As you can see from the images below:
Currently there is no sign of eutrophication.
The data of the level of phosphate present in the lake (surface, edge) is 0.1 ± 0.1 ppm (parts per million) which is a big uncertainty (100%).
Though a better approach to this research would have been to compare to another lake (for example, Hoan Kiem) which already shows signs of eutrophication. Also because we were limited to the technology available to use for the experiment and so we could not test for the level of nutrients that are present in the lake which is another huge factor that causes eutrophication.
ESS
Interview of People Around West Lake, on Pollution:
Cleaning women - Is the water polluted?
o Yes its very polluted
- Why do you think water is polluted?
o It’s because people throw their waste into the river without conscientious. Especially, the restaurants throw every waste into the river.
Fisherman - How bad is the water polluted?
o It is very polluted
- If the water is polluted doesn’t that also means that fish is polluted as well?
o Fish is polluted and that’s why we distinguish the polluted fish and well-being fish. We give polluted fish to pigs and unpolluted fish to the people.
Additional information - The water park throws all their water waste into the lake. And he thinks this is the one of the major cause of the pollution
Gardener - Where the trash does goes?
o It goes to the garbage trolley.
(could not ask anymore question since they looked very busy and annoyed)
Water park guy - Does the water waste from water all goes into the lake?
o NO!!!. It all recycles. As you can see right, we have machine to filter all the water.
(We can tell that he was not telling us everything)
Security and the lady - Is the water polluted?
o Very very polluted
o In the afternoon it smells too bad that they cannot open their windows.
- Is there any seweage system in the lake?
o No, I don’t think so
Additional information - Planning to have a project to clean the water in front of her house.
Café owner - Do you think the lake is dirty?
o It not dirty, we swim all the time, every neighbor comes during afternoon and swim together. Also, even though it looks dirty, if you get used to it, everything will be fineJ.
- Is there any sewerage
o I’m pretty sure that my house sewerage system goes straight to the lake so as the neighbors.
Since the lake is complete system, the waste from the other side of the lake will eventually come to the opposite side. Therefore, people cannot blame only their neighbors, which most of people did
Physics
Investigating the Refractive index of West Lake
Table 1: Data Collection
Incident 1 (0)
Refractive 1(0)
Incident 2(0)
Refractive 2 (0)
Distilled Water
25
20
21
18
Drinking Water
26
20
39
31
Sink Water
27
19
23
17
Westlake Water
54
31
60
36
Table 2: Refractive Index
Refractive Index 1
Refractive Index 2
Avg. Refractive Index
Uncertainty
Distilled Water
1.24
1.16
1.20
0.04
Drinking Water
1.28
1.22
1.25
0.03
Bathroom Water
1.39
1.34
1.37
0.03
Sink Water
1.57
1.47
1.52
0.05
Conclusion and Evaluation The data collected from the experiment support my hypothesis where the polluted water has the highest level of refractive index among the other refractive index of other sources of water. While doing the experiment, I noticed that it is harder for light to travel through the water from Westlake compare to other source of water. This shows that the level of density of water from Westlake is high. Therefore, based on my data and through my observation on the behaviors of light, I can conclude that "to some extent, Westlake Is polluted". There are limitations which restricted me from saying that Westlake is polluted because first of all, I only collected sample from one area of the lake. Additionally, the waste from the middle of the lake is naturally blown by the wind from the middle of the lake to the side of the lake, therefore, the level of pollution might just be an exaggeration and West Lake is not as polluted as we think. However, it is certain that the water in the lake is polluted and it does affects people who lives around the area, especially people who's profession is fishermen. The reason why this is harmful is that since the water is polluted, fish will become polluted since it is "inhaling" the oxygen from the water. Since it becomes polluted, fishermen can't possibly sell fish from West Lake to increase their income.
Chemistry
Average
1969
1990
2012
pH
7.7
8.0
6.75
Nitrate Concentration (ppm)
0.000
0.009
4.4
Ammonium Concentration (ppm)
1.0
Turbidity (NTU)
X
X
52.2
pH levelsAffected by its age and the chemicals discharged Most fish can tolerate pH values of about 5.0 to 9.0 NitratesLawn fertilizer run-off, leaking septic tanks and cesspools, animal wastes, discharges from car exhausts TurbidityDefinition: a measure of the degree to which the water loses its transparency due to the presence of suspended particulates. Considered a good measure of the quality of water.
Turbidity effects fish and aquatic life by:
Interference with sunlight penetration. Water plants need light for photosynthesis. Fish and aquatic lifewill be reduced.
If light levels get too low, photosynthesis may stop altogether and algae will die.
It’s important to realize conditions that reduce photosynthesis in plant result in lower oxygen concentrations and large carbon dioxide concentrations.
Large amounts of suspended matter may clog the gills of fish and shellfish and kill them directly.
Fish can’t see very well in turbid water and so may have difficulty finding food. On the other hand, turbid water may make it easier for fish to hide from predators.
BiologyResults:
Evaluation:
From the experiment data results, it can be concluded that there is only a minimal level of nitrate present at the surface edge of the West Lake. Also, it can be concluded that there is a minimal level of phosphate present, therefore it can be verified that the chance of eutrophication occurring is really un-likely. Compared to the data from the website International Lake Environment Committee, the data of the Nitrogen and Phosphorus concentration (1969 – 1990) shows that the level of nitrate present in the water was 0, and the level of phosphate present in the water was a lot more than the data collected today. However, the data from the website are from the center of the lake whereas, the data collected today was from the edge of the lake therefore there is a difference in the levels of the present chemicals.
As you can see from the images below:
No eutrophication 1
No eutrophication
Currently there is no sign of eutrophication.
The data of the level of phosphate present in the lake (surface, edge) is 0.1 ± 0.1 ppm (parts per million) which is a big uncertainty (100%).
Though a better approach to this research would have been to compare to another lake (for example, Hoan Kiem) which already shows signs of eutrophication. Also because we were limited to the technology available to use for the experiment and so we could not test for the level of nutrients that are present in the lake which is another huge factor that causes eutrophication.
ESS
Interview of People Around West Lake, on Pollution:
Cleaning women
- Is the water polluted?
- o Yes its very polluted
- Why do you think water is polluted?Fisherman
- How bad is the water polluted?
- o It is very polluted
- If the water is polluted doesn’t that also means that fish is polluted as well?- o Fish is polluted and that’s why we distinguish the polluted fish and well-being fish. We give polluted fish to pigs and unpolluted fish to the people.
Additional information- The water park throws all their water waste into the lake. And he thinks this is the one of the major cause of the pollution
Gardener
- Where the trash does goes?
- o It goes to the garbage trolley.
(could not ask anymore question since they looked very busy and annoyed)Water park guy
- Does the water waste from water all goes into the lake?
- o NO!!!. It all recycles. As you can see right, we have machine to filter all the water.
(We can tell that he was not telling us everything)Security and the lady
- Is the water polluted?
- o Very very polluted
- o In the afternoon it smells too bad that they cannot open their windows.
- Is there any seweage system in the lake?- o No, I don’t think so
Additional information- Planning to have a project to clean the water in front of her house.
Café owner
- Do you think the lake is dirty?
- o It not dirty, we swim all the time, every neighbor comes during afternoon and swim together. Also, even though it looks dirty, if you get used to it, everything will be fineJ.
- Is there any sewerageSince the lake is complete system, the waste from the other side of the lake will eventually come to the opposite side. Therefore, people cannot blame only their neighbors, which most of people did
Physics
Investigating the Refractive index of West Lake
Table 1: Data CollectionTable 2: Refractive Index
The data collected from the experiment support my hypothesis where the polluted water has the highest level of refractive index among the other refractive index of other sources of water. While doing the experiment, I noticed that it is harder for light to travel through the water from Westlake compare to other source of water. This shows that the level of density of water from Westlake is high. Therefore, based on my data and through my observation on the behaviors of light, I can conclude that "to some extent, Westlake Is polluted". There are limitations which restricted me from saying that Westlake is polluted because first of all, I only collected sample from one area of the lake. Additionally, the waste from the middle of the lake is naturally blown by the wind from the middle of the lake to the side of the lake, therefore, the level of pollution might just be an exaggeration and West Lake is not as polluted as we think. However, it is certain that the water in the lake is polluted and it does affects people who lives around the area, especially people who's profession is fishermen. The reason why this is harmful is that since the water is polluted, fish will become polluted since it is "inhaling" the oxygen from the water. Since it becomes polluted, fishermen can't possibly sell fish from West Lake to increase their income.
Chemistry
(ppm)
Most fish can tolerate pH values of about 5.0 to 9.0
NitratesLawn fertilizer run-off, leaking septic tanks and cesspools, animal wastes, discharges from car exhausts
TurbidityDefinition: a measure of the degree to which the water loses its transparency due to the presence of suspended particulates. Considered a good measure of the quality of water.
Turbidity effects fish and aquatic life by:
Interference with sunlight penetration. Water plants need light for photosynthesis. Fish and aquatic lifewill be reduced.
If light levels get too low, photosynthesis may stop altogether and algae will die.
It’s important to realize conditions that reduce photosynthesis in plant result in lower oxygen concentrations and large carbon dioxide concentrations.
Large amounts of suspended matter may clog the gills of fish and shellfish and kill them directly.
Fish can’t see very well in turbid water and so may have difficulty finding food. On the other hand, turbid water may make it easier for fish to hide from predators.